Olivia Colman is not eligible for Emmys for ‘The Crown’, Claire Foy remains

“The Crown” can only feature a few Queens at the Emmys.

Emmy winner Olivia Colman, who played Queen Elizabeth in the latest episode of Netflix’s monarchy drama, is not eligible to enter the guest drama actress race. However, her co-star Claire Foy, who also plays Her Majesty in her younger years and appears in the same episode, is eligible and will be the only guest entry for the series, seeking her second win in the category.

Written by Peter Morgan and directed by Stephen Daldry, “Sleep, Dearie Sleep” runs a robust 72 minutes, the longest of any episode in the six seasons. In the final moments of the series, Imelda Staunton’s Elizabeth reflects on the highs and lows of her reign as she grapples with the idea of ​​handing the crown to Charles. Her younger self seems like a manifestation of her excitement, with them all having one-on-one moments with her in earlier scenes. From seasons 3 and 4 onwards, Colman’s queen encourages her to abdicate, acknowledging her fatigue and the sacrifices of a life of service. Then, from the first two seasons, Foy’s queen tells her that her monarchy is a duty that cannot be given up.

Earlier this year, the Television Academy changed the rules for entry into the guest actor categories, stating: “A brief cameo is not eligible for entry.” The rules further clarify the definition of a guest artist: “The minimum stand-alone and continuous screen time (the artist is continuously involved in the scene, on or off camera) to qualify is 5% of the total running time of the entry episode. .”

The TV Academy said the rule change was made “to ensure that the role of a guest artist is important to the episode being submitted.”

For Colman to qualify, she needs three minutes and 36 seconds of screen time, which she doesn’t achieve. However, upon further analysis, this points to a flaw in the new rule as it puts drama actors at a disadvantage in terms of eligibility as they have a longer runtime. Recently, Bradley Cooper was nominated in the guest comedy actor category for playing himself in ABC’s mockumentary series “Abbott Elementary.” He appeared in one minute and 56 seconds of the 20 minute and 31 second episode, less than Colman’s total screen time. Perhaps an adjustment to this would be in order next year (maybe 10% for comedies?)

As things stand, Foy’s previous Emmy-winning guest turn during Season 4 would not qualify, as it only had one minute and 49 seconds of screen time in a 53-minute episode.

Nevertheless, “The Crown” is emerging as a top contender in the drama series race, where it will face FX’s “Shōgun,” Prime Video’s “Fallout” and Netflix’s “3 Body Problem.” Many of this season’s stars, such as Dominic West, Jonathan Pryce and Elizabeth Debicki, are among the favorites in their respective categories.

The full list of Emmy entries for “The Crown” is below. All names are not yet final and are subject to change. The deadline for eligibility for all series concluding their runs is May 31st. The voting round for the nominations is open from June 13 to 24.

Read: All Primetime Emmy predictions in every category at Variety Awards circuit.